In 1991, Chen Chao-cheng established SEEDDESIGN, a high-end interior lighting design company. The Taiwan based company attracted many visitors to their booth at the Taiwan International Lighting Show 2014 with their simple, elegant, and practical lighting designs. Lin Jiaqi, marketing specialist at SEEDDESIGN, speaks about the company’s lighting concept and future direction. 

The SEEDDESIGN booth at TILS was never empty of visitors throughout the entire exhibition. The simple and clean designs attracted the eyes of many people as they walked past.

Allen: What is your design concept?

Lin: Our company was established in 1991. In the past our main market was in Europe so we try to keep our design as simple as possible, just like Finland and Sweden (Scanadavian areas). Simple and clean lines. 

Allen: What is the market you mainly design your products for?

Lin: Residential. However in Taiwan we are trying to do more projects for the commercial lighting market, such as hotels or restaurants. We are currently working on this. 

SQUARE is the very concept of minimalism.

Allen: What regions is your main client base?

Lin: Our main region is in Europe, but we are trying to promote our brand in Taiwan. We started promoting around 10 years ago. After the economic problems in Europe, we started to explore new markets such as China, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia market. 

Allen: Are your designs received well in Asia?

Lin: In this new area, our main clients are more upper class because of the price. As you can see, the quality of our lights is really good which is what we emphasize on. So we do not want to bring our cost down and lose the quality. So in the new market, our customers are mainly upper class. For Europe however, it is around middle class. 

These pendant lamps, GLACIER, were exhibited along the outside of the booth. They are available in a wall version as well.

Allen: Have you started mass producing lamps?

Lin: Not yet. 

Allen: Do you plan to be in the future?

Lin: Probably, we will see. 

NUMEN desk lamps are made with silicone rubber and come in a variety of colors.

Allen: Do you mainly use LEDs? What type of lighting do you use most?

Lin: Traditional bulbs, such as halogens. 

Allen. Do you use any LEDs?

Lin. Yes we use a few LEDs. 

Allen. Have you had any difficulties using LEDs in your designs?

Lin: As far as I know, I don’t think so because we are not work on high tech LEDs. We focus more on design. We do not use LEDs mainly for design concept and not because they are difficult to integrate. We try to create a warm atmosphere and prefer the color of traditional lighting compared to LEDs. 

Although SEEDDESIGN mainly uses traditional lighitng, there are a few lamps such as this one that do utilize LED technology.

Allen: Have you noticed an increase in the LED fixtures that you do make, as consumers become more accepting of LEDs?

Lin: Here in Taiwan, for example, we can divide our customers into two different segments. One segment prefers more advanced technology so they prefer LEDs. For this kind of customer, we try to explain to them our design concept and why we choose traditional lighting over LEDs. The other segment prefers traditional lighting because they feel LEDs may cause some harm to the human body. 

Allen. Do you plan to expand into other markets?

Lin: We are current negotiating with one trader in the U.S., and they are planning on introducing our products this summer. 

Allen: What is the future direction of the company?

Lin: Try to embrace the world! (laughs) Try to sell our products as much as possible. We hope that the world can see our brand. 

(Author:  Leah Allen, Editor/Translator, LEDinside)